Where to Get Your Haircut For Free in London

Writer by passion, administrator by profession. I check what life brings and turn it into writing.

Published September 15th 2014

Free haircut in London? That's possible

picture by Richard Ward Hair and Metrospa

Whether you're looking to make savings in your budget or you just want to get a free haircut, you can volunteer as a model at one of top London hair salons.

Life in London is not cheap as we know too well. Rent and cost of public transport are rising, so we are looking to make savings everywhere else. Instead of cutting your regular haircut out of your budget, you can ring one of the London's top hairdressing salons and check if they're looking for models and get it for free. Instead of paying ₤25-100 for a mediocre haircut, you can get a nice one for free or for a small fee. At the same time someone else gets a chance to learn and practice their skills.

After moving to London I was looking for a good hairdresser at a decent price. First, I went to a lady recommended to me by a friend. She did a good job but we were living too far from each other to be able to work together more often. Another time I went to Marco Aldany. Again, I was happy with the service but still I didn't feel like spending over ₤20 every few months. And then I came across this article on Time Out website which listed some of the best hair salons in London that were looking for models for free haircuts. After I tried it for the first time at Richard Ward I knew I wasn't going to pay for a hairdresser anymore. At least until I start earning well enough to pay for a really good cut.

If you want to be their model, you need to know some helpful facts. You may need to call a few salons until you actually get an appointement as free haircuts are available only on certain days and within given hours. Usually salons have their fixed times when they do free haircuts and you'll need to adjust to them, so better take a day off, because it may come at midday. Some salons don't take just anybody as they require particular type of hair or a person who is looking for a certain type of service, e.g. colouring. Also, book the appointment in advance, because you may wait even couple of weeks for a free slot. Lastly, always check if the haircut or a treatment you are interested in is free or if it requires a small fee, usually to cover the cost of the cosmetics.

At the end, it's not as difficult as it may seem and it's really great fun but just be patient. Here are some of the companies I've checked myself and can recommend to you.

picture by Richard Ward Hair and Metrospa

Richard Ward - I exited the hair salon completely satisfied with what the hairdresser had done. First, I contacted the salon and left my details. The same day a hairdresser who was learning contacted me and we arranged an appointment. He was nice and the service was great but when I found out I may be 5 minutes late he almost cancelled the appointement. Model appintments are available on Tuesday afternoons and evenings.

Haringtons's salon in Soho; picture by Haringtons

HaringtonsI've tried them most recently and I am most happy with their service – from the moment I rang to find out about the free haircuts until I was leaving the salon. I was treated well and I felt that the guys at Harrington's take pride in what they do and really want to make sure the customer is satisfied. I can definitely recommend them. I visited their Soho salon and that's where all the models will go. My hair was cut by a girl who was learning to be a stylist and she was supervised by a senior member of the team. Both of them were great to chat with and really made my visit a great experience and I'll definitely go back there.

Outside of King's rd salon; picture by HARI's

Hari'sThis company has three branches – in King's Rd, Parsons Green and in Brompton Rd but model haircuts are done in first two. It's a nice place and my hair was cut by a young boy learning the profession. Again he was supervised by two other members of the team, so I ended up with three people cutting my hair which didn't make me to feel very confident. It seems they were rushing and didn't try to be very polite but overall it was a good experience.If you visited other hairdressers that offer free or cheap haircuts for models, recommend them in comments.